CDL Core Files Outlines 2015-2016
www.chicagodebateleague.org
2015/16 Chicago Debate League
Core Files Case Outlines
I.
AFF
A. STINGRAY 1AC
Plan: The FCC should decertify Stingray catcher devices for use in law
enforcement.
1. Contention One: Inherency
A) Federal law enforcement agencies use StingRay to search and seize cell phone
data without court oversight. This type of surveillance is very intrusive, and unless
we intervene, the government will continue to violate our rights.
2. Contention Two: Harms— Democracy
A) Law enforcement agencies don’t only use StingRay to pursue suspects in criminal
cases; the devices retrieve data from thousands of innocent civilians as well. This
violates the Fourth Amendment and endangers democracy.
B) Constitutional violations like StingRay will create an unstoppable police state if
they are not stopped.
3. Contention Three: Harms—Racial Profiling
A) The government uses cell phone trackers like StingRay for racial profiling
B) Racial profiling destroys community and national security, wastes law
enforcement resources, damages minority communities, and ruins counterterrorism
efforts.
4. Contention Four: Solvency
A) The FCC Can Withdraw the Authority for Police to Employ Stingray Technology
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B. NATIONAL SECURITY LETTERS 1AC
Plan: The United States federal government should ban the use of National
Security Letters.
1. Contention One: Inherency
A) National Security Letters violate the first and fourth amendments; the FBI has
ignored Presidential requests to end the use of National Security Letters. Banning
gag orders is not enough, we need to put an end to National Security Letters
themselves.
2. Contention Two: Harms— Privacy
A) National Security Letters are an abuse of power that enables needless mass
government surveillance, which violates privacy and threatens democracy
B) Without privacy, there is no democracy
3. Contention Three: Harms—Racism
A) National Security Letters have been part of a larger pattern of racial profiling and
subjugation since 9/11, it is almost impossible to prove racial profiling in a
surveillance attempt
B) Racism makes all forms of violence inevitable. National Security Letters are only
one part of a racist justice system, but we must reject anything that contributes to
racism
C. DRONES 1AC
Plan: The United States Federal Government should substantially curtail its
use of warrantless unpiloted aerial vehicles in the United States
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1. Contention One: Inherency
A) The Federal Bureau of Investigation is operating drones in over 30 cities in the
status quo- these surveillance operations are conducted without warrants
B) Additionally, lack of oversight and accountability to the public means drone use
will rise exponentially, altering the very character of American life
2. Contention Two: Harms— Civil Liberties
A) The fourth amendment to the constitution guarantees citizens privacy and
freedom from government intrusion and surveillance
B) Drones threaten our basic fourth amendment rights- warrantless surveillance is
becoming the norm among law enforcement
C) Privacy rights are key to a meaningful life- it forms the basis of the social contract
between individuals and the state
D) This is the most important impact in the debate- the judge must reject all
invasions of liberty
3. Contention Three: Harms—Innovation
A) Drone technology is inevitable- the plan ensures that it is used responsibly. This
increases public confidence in drones, enabling commercial innovation
B) Commercial drones are the lynchpin of U.S. growth and leadership- addressing
privacy concerns will reduce bureaucratic pressure and enable innovation
C) Commercial drones are key to agriculture- data collection provides vital
information to protect against food shortages
D) The prospect of food insecurity alone causes conflict
4. Contention Four: Harms—Credibility
A) Warrantless drone surveillance eliminates the right to personal privacy- the plan
ensures these rights are preserved
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B) Failure to upload privacy protections undermines international human rights
regimes- the U.S. is a key signatory, and other countries will model us
C) Strong human rights regimes prevent every scenario for conflict
D) Additionally, a demonstrated commitment to human rights regimes increases
overall U.S. hegemony and legitimacy on global warming prevention
E) Global Warming Causes extinction
F) Lack of U.S. hegemony causes great power war
4. Contention Five: Solvency
A) Requiring warrants for drone surveillance resolves privacy concerns while
allowing for drone use in critical national security matters- this no links all
disadvantages
II.
NEG
A. STINGRAYS
1. Inherency Neg
A) The Department of Justice now requires warrants for use of Stingray devices
B) The plan is not needed because the FBI is already starting to address possible
Stingray abuses
C) The plan is not needed because courts are already starting to address possible
Stingray abuses
D) States are doing the plan now
2. Harms— Democracy Neg
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A) Stingray devices aren’t a serious threat to innocent people because they release
non-target devices
3. Harms—Racial Profiling Neg
A) Racial profiling is subconscious. The plan does nothing to address the cause, so it
will continue even if the plan is in effect
B) There are many examples of racial profiling that don’t involve Stingray
surveillance and which the plan can’t fix
4. Solvency Neg
A) Banning Stingray devices won’t work. The people who would enforce the ban
don’t know enough about technology to effectively keep them from operating
B) You can’t challenge the surveillance state, it works hard to protect itself
B. NATIONAL SECURITY LETTERS
1. Harms—Racism Neg
A) National security is more important to democracy than personal privacy; getting
rid of National Security Letters would be getting rid of an important tool for fighting
terrorism.
2. Harms—Privacy Neg
A) National Security Letters are rarely abused, consistently reviewed, and necessary
for national security.
B) National Security Letters are so narrow in scope, banning them would not solve
anything. Even if we do have privacy issues in the United States, National Security
Letters are not the problem.
3) Solvency Neg
A) National Security Letters are very limited in scope and pose very little threat to
civilian privacy.
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C. DRONES
1. Inherency Neg
A) The affirmative is not inherent, the federal government is increasing oversight of drone
use in the status quo
B) The FBI does not undertake long-term, warrantless, surveillance missions- specific,
targeted instances do not violate the 4th amendment
2. Harms— Privacy Neg
A) Reject the affirmative’s impact framing- the judge should vote for the team whose
policy saves the most amount of lives, this is the most ethical framework for the
debate
B) Privacy invasions are inevitable- drone technology is not uniquely harmful
C) Reject their internal link evidence- Malko does not say that drone use would undermine
the 4th amendment, just that the FBI will use the technology, they have to prove that
these searches would occur without a warrant
3. Harms—Credibility Neg
A) There is no impact to a decline in hegemony- unipolarity does not prevent conflict
B) There is no impact to global warming- most data on climate change is flawed
C) There are numerous alternate casualties to a decline in U.S. credibility on human rights:
the failure to close Guantanamo, the PATRIOT ACT, and counterterrorism drone strikes
non-unique their internal link
D) There’s no internal link- global perception of U.S. civil liberties has little bearing on U.S.
credibility
4. Harms—Innovation Neg
A) No impact to food insecurity- several studies prove there is no correlation
between a lack of food and conflict
B) Drone innovation is inevitable- the plan’s boost in not necessary
C) . The Drone industry is resilient- it can withstand a lack of public support